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IRantucfeet 


THE  LIBRARY 
OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


NANTUCKET 

And  Other  Verses 

BY 
MART    STARBUCK 


m 


\/a*A*L0Uk~- 


Copyright,  1911 
By 

Mary    Starbuck 


J.  J.  Little  &  Ives  Company 
New  York 


NANTUCKET 

"JusT  a  sandy  wind-swept  island !  " 
What  more  would  you  have  it  be, 

With  a  turquoise  sky  above  it, 
Around  it  a  sapphire  sea? 

When  its  dawns  are  pearl  and  opal, 

Its  noons  are  crystals  ciear, 
And  its  sunsets  shower  down  gold  dust 

Till  the  diamond  stars  appear, — 

When  to  those  who  are  born  on  the  island, 
And  to  many  from  over  the  sea, 

'Tis  fairer  than  all  its  jewels, 
What  more  does  it  need  to  be? 


626153 


INLAND 

I  DREAM  of  the  east  wind's  tonic, 
Of  the  breakers'  stormy  roar, 

And  the  peace  of  the  inner  harbor 
With  the  long,  low  Shimmo  Shore. 

I  want  to  sail  down  from  Wauwinet 
As  the  sun  drops  low  in  the  west, 

And  the  town,  like  a  city  celestial, 
Looks  a  fitting  abode  for  the  blest. 

I  long  for  the  buoy-bell's  tolling 

When  the  north  wind  brings  from  afar 

The  smooth,  green,  shining  billows 
To  be  churned  into  foam  on  the  bar. 


Oh  for  the  sea-gulls'  screaming 
As  they  swoop  so  bold  and  free! 

Oh  for  the  fragrant  commons, 
And  the  glorious  open  sea! 

For  the  restful  great  contentment, 
For  the  joy  that  is  never  known 

Till  past  the  jetty  and  Brant  Point  Light 
The  Islander  comes  to  his  own! 


EXPERIENCE 


YELLOW  gorse  and  purple  heather, 
Sunrise  splendor  on  the  sea, 

Glory  of  the  autumn  morning, 
Life  is  joy  to  you  and  me. 

Yellow  gorse  and  purple  heather 

Where  the  moorland  meets  the  sea, 

God  is  good  and  life  is  loving, 

And  His  world  holds  you  and  me. 


II 


Cold  gray  mist  veils  all  the  moorland, 
Low  the  sob  of  the  grieving  sea, 

Great  gray  world  of  utter  blankness, 
And  the  lonely  heart  of  me. 

Faint,  blind,  groping  through  the  grayness, 
Drawn  by  the  call  of  the  hidden  sea, 

Lonely  heart  all  numb  with  sorrow, 
Life  is  naught  but  mystery. 


Ill 

Yellow  gorse  and  purple  heather, 
Sunset  crimson  on  the  sea, 

Mighty  tides  are  flowing  ever, 
Life  and  love  and  mystery. 

Yellow  gorse  and  purple  heather, 
Sunset  splendor  on  the  sea, 

God  is  good  and  life  is  loving, 
Still  His  world  holds  you  and  me. 


ISLAND  SPRING  SONG 

DOWN  the  sound  the  ice  drifts  seaward, 
Blue  and  free  the  tossing  bay, 

And  the  pale  gold  shivering  shallows 
Whisper,  "  Spring  is  on  the  way." 

On  the  bleak  and  wind-swept  upland 
Rusty  pine  trees  creak  and  sway, 

And  it's  greening  in  the  hollows, 
For  the  spring  is  on  the  way. 


DENIAL 

WHEN  thou  earnest  to  my  door, 
Blithesome  prince,  of  welcome  sure, 
I  did  send  thee  back  again 
Into  darkness  and  the  rain, 
Because  I  loved  thee  so. 

Thou  didst  beg  with  me  to  stay. 
Hard  it  was  to  say  thee  nay, 
Send  thee  pleading  from  my  sight, 
Urge  thee,  halting,  up  the  height, 
Because  I  loved  thee  so. 


Know'st  them  not  I  share  thy  pain, 
Long  to  draw  thee  back  again? — 
Thou  art  meant  a  king  to  be, 
Never  prince  shall  bide  with  me, 
Because  I  love  thee  so. 

Thou  must  fight  and  thou  must  win, 
To  thy  kingdom  enter  in. 
By  the  dangers  and  the  strife 
Learn  the  meaning  of  thy  life, 
Because  I  love  thee  so. 

Then  a  king,  though  battered  sore, 
If  again  thou  seek'st  my  door, 
Door  and  heart  alike  shall  be 
Open  wide  to  welcome  thee, 
Because  I  love  thee  so. 


THE  PATH 

WHERE  does  the  path  lead  over  the  hill, 
The  hill  that  looms  to  the  west?" 

It  leads  to  labor  and  striving  and  joy, 
And  then  it  leads  to  rest." 

Where  does  the  path  lead  over  the  hill, 
The  path  that  is  winding  and  steep  ?  " 

It  leads  to  sorrow  and  weary  loss, 
And  then  it  leads  to  sleep." 

Where  does  the  path  lead  over  the  hill 
When  at  last  its  windings  cease  ? " 

It  leads  to  life  and  it  leads  to  love, 
And  at  last  it  leads  to  peace." 


THE  PURPLE  ISLAND 

PURPLE  Island!     Purple  Island! 

There  are  mystic  moments  when 
All  the  voices  of  the  springtime 

Call  us  o'er  and  o'er  again 

Back  to  thee,  far  purple  island, 

Where  the  slow  tides  rise  and  fall, 

And  the  spirit  slips  its  moorings 
When  in  spring  the  voices  call. 

All  the  weary  ache  of  longing 
Born  of  absence  fades  away. 

We  can  see  the  white  sails  winging 
Homeward  at  the  close  of  day, 


And  beyond,  the  silver  harbor 
And  the  gray  roofs  of  the  town; 

And  the  tender  purple  shadows 
Of  the  night  come  drifting  down. 

Soft  the  air  and  full  of  fragrance, 
Breath  of  sweet-fern,  breath  of  pine, 

Pungent  odor  of  the  cedars, 
Bayberry  and  wild  grape-vine. 

Tranquil  miles  of  open  moorland 

Once  again  before  us  lie, 
Once  again  the  crooning  ocean 

Soothes  us  with  its  lullaby. 

And  the  old  spell  falls  upon  us 
As  the  stars  shine  out  above, 

And  thy  peace  enfolds  us  wholly, 
Purple  island  of  our  love. 


THE  WINDS 

THE  north  wind  brought  a  soul  to  the  earth, 

The  east  wind  called  him  to  roam, 
The  south  wind  lured  him  and  tried  his  strength, 
And  teased  him  and  wearied  him,  till  at  length 

The  west  wind  wafted  him  home. 


SUBMISSION 

I  WAS  not  of  Thy  fold,  dear  Lord, 

But  one  astray; 
I  longed  to  come  if  only  I 

Could  find  the  way; 
Blind  from  my  birth,  all  dark  to  me 

The  light  of  day. 

By  faith  I  walked,  with  stumblings  oft, 

Or  grievous  fall; 
Somewhere,  somehow  I  knew  that  I 

Should  hear  Thy  call ; 
Now  at  Thy  feet  I  lay  my  heart, 

It  is  my  all. 


Upon  my  eyes  place  Thy  cool  palm, 

O  Saviour  mine. 
I  cannot  see  Thee,  but  I  feel 

Thy  touch  divine 
Assuage  my  fever  and  my  hurt 

With  peace  of  Thine. 

Shall  I  grow  now,  with  Thee  to  hold 

My  tired  hands, 
Into  that  strength  for  others'  needs 

Love  understands? 
I  will  not  ask,  but  patient  wait 

For  Love's  commands. 


TRINITY 

THE  mists  rise  out  of  the  sea, 

The  clouds  drift  back  o'er  the  land 

To  the  curving  hills  and  the  boulders  bare 
And  the  plains  of  shining-  sand. 

In  the  fulness  of  time  hidden  streams 

Come  forth  in  a  river  free, 
A  life-giving  river  of  mighty  power, 

Flowing  down  to  the  infinite  sea. 

"  I  and  my  Father  are  one,"  said  the  Christ, 
"  To  Him  I  return,  my  work  is  done." — 

Mist  and  river  and  infinite  sea, 

The  source  and  the  course  and  the  goal  are  one. 


A  MEMORY 

A  LOW  gray  sky,  a  purple  moor, 

A  sullen  surf,  a  beaten  shore, 

A  glint  of  gold  at  the  far  sea-line, 

A  glimpse  of  Heaven — your  hand  in  mine. 


Thanks  ate  due  to  the  editors  of  The  New 
England  Magazine,  Munsey's,  and  The 
World's  Events  for  their  courteous  per 
mission  to  reprint  several  of  these  poems. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L9-42m-8,'49(B5573)444 


THE  LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  (  VLIFORNIA 
T.OS  ANGELES 


PS 

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